


Le Jeu de Robin et Marian

by Ryuutchi



Category: Robin Hood (Disney 1973)
Genre: Disguise, F/M, Highwaymen, Inspired by Traditional Ballads, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 13:11:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuutchi/pseuds/Ryuutchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sovay, Sovay all on a day<br/>She dressed herself in man's array<br/>With a sword and a pistol all by her side<br/>To meet her true love to meet her true love away did ride.</p><p>(Or; long distance relationships are complicated in this time period.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Le Jeu de Robin et Marian

**Author's Note:**

  * For [betony](https://archiveofourown.org/users/betony/gifts).



> Thanks to M and Kaesa for the betas!
> 
> I'm sorry this isn't in verse, but I'm awful at rhyming.

_But Robin Hood, hee, himself had disguisd,_  
 _And Marian was strangly attir'd,_  
 _That they provd foes, and so fell to blowes,_  
 _Whose vallour bold Robin admir'd._

_They drew out their swords, and to cutting they went,_  
 _At least an hour or more,_  
 _That the blood ran apace from bold Robins face,_  
 _And Marian was wounded sore._

 

"Why, my good earl," Marian said, letting Robin wrap his arms around her waist and twirl her around, "I'm not sure that I can trust you! You might just turn and kiss the very next lady you see, as soon as my carriage has gone over the hill." She pressed herself into his arms nevertheless, savoring the feeling of his hands at her waist.

Robin scoffed, his tail flicking, and he picked her up. He moved in close for a daring nuzzle against her chin before quickly pulling back, mindful that Lady Kluk could be anywhere, watching. "I'm not the one you ought to ask that question of. I've heard that you fancy Sir Guy of Gisbourne and plan to avail yourself of all the pleasures of London." She frowned at the thought, her tail lashing his leg in punishment and he dropped one eye in a teasing wink. 

"Oh, don't you go listening to the old biddies, Robert of Huntingdon! I have no plans to find myself a new love while away from you. You carved our initials into that tree, and that's forever." She tipped her head towards the tree in question and he rested his chin on her shoulder to regard the crudely carved letters.

"My penmanship is truly awful," he mused, earning himself another swat from her tail.

She released him and tugged herself from his embrace going to kneel beside the tree. He followed her as if tugged by some invisible string and ran his fingers over the carving. "When you come back," she said, "you'll have to make another carving, and it had best be the prettiest thing I ever saw."

"If you come back to me, I'll carve our names into Prince John's castle gates," he promised, putting a hand over his chest. "Cross my heart." Marian just laughed, shaking her head, and settled against the tree. "Even if I have to fight through hordes of guards to do it," he said, gesturing vaguely as though he were brandishing a sword. Robin looked down at Marian, as she tipped her head back to watch him, and words failed him. Robin's breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes a moment, falling silent. "Just," he said suddenly, "just as long as you promise to be faithful."

Their gazes caught for one blazing moment; Marian was the first to look away. "Faithful? Why, Robin, I'll return home a true lady! You'd best make yourself into a man worthy of me." She tried to force her voice to be steady, but was sure she could hear the tiniest of worried hitches.

He took her hand, his smile full of as much bravado as he could summon up. "Rest your heart at ease, fair maiden--"

"Robin! Hey, Rob! It's getting late. Give your lady fair a big smooch and let's head home!" Little John's voice was like thunder - rumbling and low, but somehow loud enough to make both young foxes jump apart. Marian demurely averted her eyes and brushed the wrinkles from her skirt, while Robin stood straight and stiff, looking around as furtively as though they'd been doing something illicit. He cleared his throat and glanced at Marian, his cheeks burning, and then away again.

"C-coming," he said, his own voice shaky. He cleared his throat and said, more loudly and with more of his customary cheer, "Coming, Johnny boy. Don't lose your britches!" He turned back to Marian, taking her hand and sweeping down low over it in a bow. "I have to return to Huntingdon before the night makes Sherwood unnavigable. But I'll return tomorrow, before you leave for London, so I can see you off."

With a movement more quick than Robin was expecting, Marian caught hold of his hand in both of hers. "Wait, Robin, I have--" she let go of him and fumbled in her pouch, pulling out a soft object. She looked down at it for a long moment, as though considering her actions, and then smiled. Marian looked up at him from under her long eyelashes, reached out and settled the hat on his head. With a muffled giggle, she tilted it rakishly. "I love you, Robin, my heart."

He stared at her, and reached up to touch the fine leather of the cap. It was soft, a fine peaked leather cap plumed with a red feather, and fit perfectly between his ears. "Marian," he murmured, "Oh, Marian, I love you too."

**With a hey down down a down down**

Watching Robin and John ride off toward town, Marian sighed. "Kluk, do you really think this is such a good idea?" She twisted her hands and then consciously forced them apart, smoothing her dress once more as she gave Robin one last, long look before turning away.

Kluk crowed her familiar, teasing laugh and held out the page boy's cloak for Marian to take. "Now, lassie, I've known too many a man who said sweet things and then turned and did the opposite to warn you off this path. As long as you have your heart set on proving his loyalty to you before your separation, I won't say you nay." She took Marian by the hand and led her back into the secluded courtyard. "You'll be gone a long while, and you'll want to show him just how serious you are." Kluk stroked Marian's hair - a gentle touch that had soothed Marian since she was a kit - and then helped her to fasten the cloak, pulling the hood up to hide Marian's lovely face.

Together they fastened about her a disguise of men's garments. Marian's hands were careful on the sword belt, as she ran her fingers over the pommel of her sword-hilt, and she slung a quiver of arrows across her back. Kluk handed her a bow and patted her shoulder gently. "Ride swiftly, my sweetling, and do remember to _take the bear down first._ "

**With a hey down down a down down**

Robin and Little John rode through the forest at a leisurely pace, relaxing in fading afternoon light. Robin stared at nothing in particular, gaze far away as he hummed some thoughtless tune. Little John watched him daydream for a while before trying to wake him. "Robin. Hey, Rob!" Robin barely stirred except to steer his horse away from some sweetgrass. Little John clucked his tongue and scratched an ear, regarding his friend. He could let Robin continue to dream - after all, Robin deserved it well enough at least for the next day or so, until Marian left for London - but if John didn't drag him back to reality now, Robin might end up daydreaming for a year and a day. Little John huffed a sigh and flicked his ear, lightly urging the horse to move a little faster. "Hey, you know, Robin," he started, only to have another another voice startle them both.

"Stand and deliver!" The words were loud enough to shock Robin fully up right. The speaker stood on a fallen log not far ahead of them. It was a slender figure, but his voice was firm, and he held an arrow notched and aimed at Robin's head.

"Stand and deliver?" Robin echoed. "Deliver what?"

"All your valuables, my lord," said the highwayman. His voice was a sweet tenor, and strangely familiar to the both of them. Robin and John peered at him, but could see little in the shadow of his hood except the end of his muzzle. "I would appreciate it if my lords would remove their purses and and throw them here, before I approach to take them."

Little John patted his sword and hopped from his horse. "You don't scare me, little man," he said. Indeed, the highwayman was small, but without another word he aimed at Little John and loosed his arrow. The arrow went wide, but only by a finger's width, ruffling the fur along the side of John's face and causing him to flinch away in surprise. The highwayman took that as an opportunity to dash forward, as fast as Robin himself could have done, to slam the pommel of his sword into the side of John's head. The bear fell like a downed tree, and the highwayman knelt, fingers deftly removing the small pouch of coin John wore. 

The highwayman tipped his head up to look at Robin who, surprised by the swiftness of his actions, had barely had time to draw his own sword. "Honestly, my lord, you ought to train your companions better. Now, your purse, if you please," said the robber.

Robin dismounted and carefully unfastened his purse. He tossed it to the highwayman, who caught it and tucked it away somewhere beneath his cloak.

"And your watch, please," said the robber.

With a frown, Robin unfastened the small mechanism from his belt and passed it over, as well. "There. You have my valuables. Are you satisfied?"

The highwayman made a thoughtful sound as he made the watch disappear beneath his cloak as well. "You know," he said, "I like your hat. Give me that, too."

Robin's heart stopped and he reached up to touch his newest possession. "You don't need a hat, you have a hood! You're a robbing hood!" he yelped, dropping his hand down to his sword. "No. That's one thing I won't give you."

Stepping away from Little John, the highwayman raised his sword menacingly. "I said, give me your hat, boy. I fancy it. And if you will not give it to me, I'll strike you down."

"This hat was a token from my sweetheart," Robin snapped out, baring his teeth. "You can have it over my dead body!" He lunged at the robber, who barely managed to parry the blow, and countered it with one of his own. Robin took the attack, furiously fighting towards the highwayman. The highwayman countered Robin's every attack, exchanging blow for blow. 

Finally, the robber managed to leverage a thrust against his own blade and shoved Robin back. Robin stumbled only a few steps, but it was enough for the robber to clamber back up onto the old log. He bowed politely, turned and scampered off into Sherwood forest. Robin let the tip of his blade drop and he leaned back against his horse. "Little John," he said, "are you awake?"

Little John groaned. "Yeah."

"How much of that did you see?" Robin asked, struggling to shake off his shock and anger, and sheathing his sword. He could hear John rising to his feet as well.

"Enough to see you getting your tail handed to you."

**With a hey down down a down down**

Robin and John staggered into the Huntingdon manor, and Robin slammed the large wooden door with more force than was absolutely necessary. "I can't believe the cheek of that man," he said, readjusting his hat yet again. "He's nearly as bad as Prince John!"

Settling his bulk into a nearby chair, Little John tucked his hands behind his head. "That's the truth. As vicious as the tax collectors, and nearly as greedy. But look on the bright side! At least it's not lining Prince John's pockets this time." He stretched out his legs, pushing the chair back to lean precariously on its two back legs and heaved a great sigh. He rubbed gingerly at the lump forming underneath one ear and grimaced. "Hope he doesn't stick around. The town can barely support our Robber Prince, much less his Royal Greediness _and_ a new brigand." He rocked back so far he nearly tipped over before letting the chair back down again.

They settled into a thoughtful silence, John rocking up and down on the hind legs of his chair, and Robin pacing back and forth, his tail lashing with exaggerated aggravation. Every so often, Robin would stop and stare out the window, as though considering something, but John, having been the straight man for Robin's schemes plenty of times over the years, knew better than to worry. Worrying about what Robin had up his sleeve never changed the situation.

Eventually, Robin said, "Wouldn't it be great if the tax collectors were all robbed before they could reach the prince?"

Little John opened one eye to give Robin a skeptical look and then closed it again. "What, so some robber can become richer than Bushel Britches? That's sort of defeating the purpose."

"You're a genius, Little John!" Robin grabbed for the front of John's shirt, ignoring his friend's startled yelp. " _We'll_ be the brigands! And return all the money to the townspeople! It's perfect!"

**With a hey down down a down down**

The following day dawned bright and early, and mid-morning found Robin of Huntingdon in his fair Maid Marian's courtyard waiting to see her off on her adventure to grand London town. On seeing him, Marian took him by the hand and, heedless of Lady Kluk's chiding, tugged him away for one last walk through the garden. "I'll miss you, my Robin," she said, weaving her fingers with his.

He didn't know how to respond with his heart in his throat, so he tugged her against him instead. In that instant, he saw a mighty familiar sparkle at her belt. She caught him looking, and didn't bother to hide the gleam of his watch at her waist. His cheeks flared with heat, and Marian laughed, tugging him by the hand towards the most secluded of the bowers in her garden. Being hidden away from the watchful eyes of their companions did nothing to make Robin less flustered. He opened his mouth to say something, but could not think of what to say to her.

"Stand and deliver, my love," said Marian, and she gestured at the nearby tree-- upon which were hung the two purses she had taken. "Don't blush, Robin. I just wanted to see you prove your mettle." She offered him a cheeky smile, and Robin felt something in his chest unclench.

"You could have been hurt, Marian!" he protested, more for form's sake than for his pride, as he returned his purse to his belt.

She arched an eyebrow and leaned against him, her muzzle brushing his cheek. "I could have hurt you. If you'd given me that hat, I might have slain you where you stood." Marian stood straight, and took his hands. "I'll miss you when I'm in London, Robin, but I'll come back to you."

Robin breathed out a burst of laughter and returned that kiss on the cheek. "I'll be waiting for you when you return, my lady."

**Ood da lally, and that's a lot of trouble over a little thing like a hat.**

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to [The Robin Hood Project](http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/rh/rhaumenu.htm) for the text of "Robin Hood and Maid Marian", quoted at the beginning of the fic, and other pieces of traditional Robin folklore incorporated into the story.
> 
> Also, credit to the English ballad, "[Sovay](http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/129.html)", which served as primary inspiration for the plot.


End file.
